


Logic and Trickster - Act 1

by Logic_and_Trickster



Series: The Phantom Thieves Meet Phoenix Wright - Logic and Trickster [2]
Category: Persona 5, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Cross-Posted on deviantArt, Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22406935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Logic_and_Trickster/pseuds/Logic_and_Trickster
Summary: Our first Act of Logic and Trickster involves a glimpse into Akira Kurusu's life two years after leaving Tokyo to go back home, as well as the struggles he has to deal with daily.  A normal life doesn't come easy for the former head of a group of vigilantes. Thankfully, he will always have his friends, and things certainly become lively as old comrades catch up. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey stumble upon information that will totally change the nature of their stay in Japan.
Series: The Phantom Thieves Meet Phoenix Wright - Logic and Trickster [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612450
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1-1: The Phantom Thieves of Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are no more, their bonds as deep friends is not so easily forgotten. Akira Kurusu takes some time to reminisce about all of the former members of the team, and even reaches out through some text messages for a group reunion of sorts. Old habits die hard, and it isn't long before the tune of the topic becomes strange--potentially supernatural--events happening in the news. What can they make of these events, and can anything even be done about them?

_April 9th, 7:00 am_

_Akira Kurusu's Appartment_

\---Music: [ Beneath the Mask (Instrumental) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCISWaBTSRs)\---

"You know, sleeping in every once in a while is good for you, too," I hear Morgana suggest as I open my groggy eyes. 

I smile as I swing my legs off the side of my bed and stand up, wishing deep down that I could follow his advice. "I guess I'm just too conditioned to waking up early," I joke.

Morgana licks his wrist habitually. "The life and struggles of a former student, huh..."

I guess I should mention that Morgana is my talking cat. "I'm not a cat!" I can perfectly imagine him shout in response, though I guess by now he's stopped making that assertion. After living as a cat for basically the entire time I've known him, he's probably used to it.

His movements are certainly feline, and I watch him as he cat-walks across the edge of my bed frame. After a few moments of quiet, he suddenly shudders with nervous energy. "I can't believe how... _NORMAL_ everything has been, lately. Don't you ever wish we could go back to the excitement of the good old days?"

I turn on my phone screen and navigate to the calendar to check the date. April 9th, 2019. "Hmm," I hum, gathering my thoughts a bit more before coming up with a response, "I suppose it has been a long time. Christmas of 2016 was the last time we ever entered the Metaverse..."

"It's a real shame the Metaverse no longer exists," Morgana sighs, disheartened.

The conversation is enough to bring back a flood of mixed memories, both good and bad. It's true, everything was more exciting back then. I remember how I met my friends, how we used to plan our actions. I remember our rule to only choose a target who we all agreed on. I still remember the late nights spent crafting lock picks and other tools for infiltration. I remember the pulse-pounding break-ins, the dynamic struggles against monstrous foes...

I still remember sneaking into palaces more decorated and absurd than my wildest dreams. Palaces both grand and magnificent, but warped and twisted. There's nothing more fantastic and unbelievable than what someone else's world view looks like. Using the MetaNav app on our phones, we were able to enter the world inside other people's heads, and from within their own mind we had the ability to change the hearts of criminals and all-around jerks to make them want to genuinely atone for their misdeeds.

Living in the shadows, but making the world a better place by making evil-doers repent: that was what it meant to be part of the Phantom Thieves.

But, the fact of the matter is, that meta-physical world of cognition no longer exists. One of the hardest decisions we ever made as a group was to destroy the Metaverse. The choice was between a world of apathy and mental slavery to the shackles of mob-mentality and societal sensationalism, or a world where the people can think for themselves, and be free in their thoughts and actions... a world where the Phantom Thieves are no longer able to act. Perhaps, a world where the Phantom Thieves are no longer needed. 

I shrug. "Well, that part of our lives has ended. No use worrying any more about it," I reason, trying not to let the emotional weight of nostalgia bring me down.

He seems to trail off in his inner thoughts for a bit, but then he shakes his head. "Eh. I just can't get used to it. I know Akira is your name, but 'Joker' fits you so much better, in my opinion!"

By now I'm getting dressed, so the laugh his comment elicits is muffled by the shirt that I'm putting on that is currently around my head. "I mean, nothing's stopping us from using our codenames, 'Mona.'"

"Good point," he giggles, stretching his back. "Still, though, don't you miss getting to see the others? I know I do!"

"It's no big deal," I speak casually, not putting much thought into it.

"What do you mean!?" he talks back, offended, "It's been over two years since you left Tokyo! How can you not care?!"

"We text all the time, remember?" I remind him, wiggling my phone in the air for him to see.

"Oh... right. How could I forget..." Morgana replies with a very sarcastic tone of voice, "I guess I didn't think about texting because I HAVE NO FINGERS TO TEXT WITH."

I laugh with both amusement and regret at having mentioned anything. "Well, it's never too late to catch up. How about you come over here and we can shoot some messages. I'll type out anything you want to say to them."

His eyes light up with sparkles. "Yes! Let's do that!"

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Opening 2001 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rVUvtw_iNc)\---

Without even thinking about who to choose to text, my mind recognizes that family comes first. I pull up the contact page for Futaba Sakura, who is essentially my little sister. Her bright orange hair, thick glasses, and odd style of hip clothing is unforgettable. With her technical skills and savvy intuition, she was unanimously chosen to be our navigator during our Phantom Thieves activities. She helped us through some of our trickiest mazes and puzzles, both physical and mental. True to her role, her codename was "Oracle."

Akira: Ayyyyy, Futaba.

Akira: Sup?

Futaba: Whooooaaaaa!! Akira! It's been forever!

Akira: I know, right? Sorry I haven't chatted. Been real busy.

Futaba: That's totally ok! I'm just glad to hear from you.

Akira: Morgana wanted to say hi, too. He says he misses you!

Futaba: Awwww!! Give him some big pets for me, ok?

Akira: Will do.

Akira: Before I forget, tell Sojiro I said hello, too.

Futaba: He's right here, actually! He's cooking breakfast.

Futaba: He says, "Tell him I really miss having him around the shop."

Akira: Yeah, I miss him too.

Futaba: He also says, "You better be practicing on your coffee and curry skills, or else."

Akira: Haha.

Futaba: And, he also says, "Get off that blasted phone while we're eating, have some manners, will ya'?"

Futaba: ...

Futaba: Oh he was talking to me with that one.

Futaba: Talk later! Bye!!!

I can't help but grin at their antics. Thinking of those two gives me a deep warmth. The two of them are the closest family I have.

"They never change, huh?" Morgana comments, cracking into a fit of brisk laughter. "Though, we didn't get a chance to ask her what she's been up to lately."

"Her third year probably just started," I recall, as she's the youngest of our group and still in high school. "Hard to believe she's older now than I was during the year I went to Shujin Academy."

"Well, who do we get in touch with next?" Morgana pushes on, more excited than ever.

Next comes Ryuji Sakamoto, the guy who's been there for me since day one of my year in the city. As the local "punk" who dyed his hair blond and embraced his negative image, he was an outcast much like I was, so we naturally gravitated towards one another. The first time we met was also the first time either of us were exposed to that crazy MetaNav app, when it installed itself into my phone. It wasn't long after we met Morgana, as well. After one crazy mishap after another, the three of us banded together to take down that abusive teacher. 

Between myself, Morgana, and Ryuji, there wouldn't have been Phantom Thieves at all. No one can beat him when it comes to loyalty and strength of will. Back in the day, he used to go by the codename "Skull."

Akira: Hey, Ryuji, what's up?

\---(Music End)---

A few minutes pass as I continue to get changed and brush my teeth. Nothing happens. I try again.

\---Music: [ My Homie ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ergzVAkszi8)\---

Akira: Ryuji? 

Akira: You there?

Ryuji: I am asleep right now, please try again later.

"That sure was well constructed for someone who is asleep..." Morgana skeptically comments.

"Haha. I can tell that he just tapped one of the pre-written responses instead of typing one out himself," I explain. He never was an early bird. I'll try to bother him again some other time, when he's more likely to be awake and functioning.

\---(Music End)---

"Ooh! Ooh! Next, let's text Lady Ann!" Morgana picks, with twinkling stars in his eyes.

With the charm and charisma of a super model, as well as her passionate nature, this blond-haired beauty has had no problem finding herself as the heart of our team. Once we helped her to find her inner courage to stand up for her loved ones, she became an irreplaceable part of our team, and has supported us as a true friend since. Her codename, "Panther," really highlighted her fierce tenacity.

\---Music: [ Tokyo Daylight ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GBciQVf_PI)\---

Akira: Hey, Ann. Been a while!

Ann: Hi, Akira-kun!

Ann: What's got you up so early?

Akira: Nothing particular. Just checking up.

Akira: Morgana also wanted to catch up with everyone.

Ann: Mona's reading this? Hi, Morgana!

I can practically see Morgana blushing, and his curved eyebrows and goofy smile perfectly display the affection he holds for Ann. From the beginning, Morgana took a liking to her, and has made a point to support and help her wherever possible. It'd be pointless to deny that he had a crush on her, and still does.

Akira: What have you been doing lately?

Ann: Modeling has picked up, especially now with spring fashion lineups coming out.

Ann: I feel like I'm at a photo shoot every day now.

Akira: Don't push yourself too hard, ok?

Ann: Ahaha, don't worry about me.

Ann: I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't fun.

Ann: That aside, classes have started up, and I like my teachers so far.

Akira: I guess I haven't really talked to anyone about school either.

Akira: Did you get into that college you were looking at?

Ann: Yep! Ryuji and I both got into the same one.

"Ryuji got into college?" Morgana repeated in disbelief, before laughing heartily, "That's a miracle in and of itself. I'm proud of him!"

Akira: Morgana can't believe Ryuji got into college.

Ann: I don't think he can believe it, either.

Ann: And Yusuke got into a different one on the other side of the city.

Ann: We still hang out all the time.

Akira: Glad to hear it!

Akira: It's a shame I had to move back, I would have loved to continue hanging out with you guys.

Ann: Yeah... we all miss you.

Ann: Hey! Why don't we turn this into a group chat?

Before I can even respond, I get a notification that a new multimedia chat has started up. The chat includes me, Ann, Ryuji, and Futaba. On top of that, it includes three more of our friends, Yusuke Kitagawa, Makoto Niijima, and Haru Okumura.

Ann: Hey everyone~!

Ryuji: I am asleep right now, please try again later.

Ann: Huh...?

Ryuji: I am asleep right now, please try again later.

Akira: His phone must be on auto-respond, just start a new group without him.

Ryuji: I am asleep right now, please try again later.

Ann starts a new chat, excluding Ryuji.

Yusuke: My, if it isn't Akira!

Yusuke: It's good to hear from you my friend.

Akira: Good to hear from you too, Yusuke!

Yusuke: I was just thinking about you, too.

Yusuke: I'm nearing completion on my next work, and I was going to text you photographs of it for your opinions.

Cool and collected, Yusuke burns with the soul of an artist underneath his impeccable manners. He carries quite the presence with his tall stature and deep blue hair, but he can't quite seem to hide the fact that he's a bit naive underneath it all. I blame his unusual upbringing under that corrupt artist--more like con-artist--who tried to take advantage of his talents. But, his skills with a paintbrush are easily matched by his skills with his katana, and there aren't many people I'd trust more than Yusuke to have my back. "Fox" was his codename.

Haru: How delightful! I hope you've been taking care of the plants I sent you.

Akira: Definitely, they are blooming right now.

Haru: Excellent!

Gardening is the most memorable hobby of Haru's, and she's quite good at it. Ever since her CEO father passed away, she has been struggling to find her place in the world while running the huge company he left behind. Though she wasn't initially fit for the cut-throat business world, her charm shined through and won over her father's employees, and soon everyone grew to love the polite and sweet girl with the fuzzy hair and the green thumb. Her codename was graceful and elegant, like her. "Noir" is what she went by.

Makoto: You better have a good explanation for why you've been so quiet lately!!!

Makoto: Just kidding.

Makoto: Have you been doing well?

This is Makoto, who can proudly claim to have been the brains of our operations. Like Haru, she's a year older, and went to college a year before the rest of us who did. Surely enough academia has been a great fit for the class president with the big brain and even bigger heart. But her true motivation lies in her future: Makoto and her sister Sae were both changed by the death of their father in the line of duty as a police officer, and Makoto in particular is determined to become an officer of the law as well. There's a strong sense of justice and an even stronger resolve underneath those bright red eyes of hers. "Queen" was a fitting codename given her authoritative role.

Akira: Hanging in there! 

Akira: Doing jobs here and there to keep busy.

Makoto: You aren't going to school still?

Akira: Gap semester.

Yusuke: Always the free spirit.

Ann: You've got a ton of useful skills, you could probably study anything and get a job doing anything.

Akira: Ha, thanks. I'm just getting things settled.

Haru: It's understandable, traditional education isn't always necessary for people like us.

Makoto: You aren't going to school either?!

Haru: I'm taking online courses from an overseas college.

Haru: Running the business is full time, otherwise.

Ann: I didn't realize we had all taken such different paths.

Ann: I had always imagined it's be a clear jump from high school to college.

Yusuke: Such a conforming lifestyle wouldn't fit many of our personalities, I imagine.

Ann: You have a point.

I notice I'm getting a text in the original group, from Ryuji, so I presume we're all moving back to that chat.

\---Music: [ Tokyo Emergency ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7a_MZXuDk)\---

Ryuji: Ok I'm awake! Sorry about that.

Ryuji: Man oh Man, Akira!! How are you, bro?!!

Ann: About time!

Haru: Hello, Ryuji!

Makoto: Looks like the gang's finally all here.

Yusuke: Minus two.

Akira: Futaba is eating right now and can't respond.

Akira: And Morgana is right here with me, contacting all of you was his idea.

Yusuke: Ah! I stand corrected.

Makoto: It's been so long since we've all chatted like this.

Ann: This brings back so many memories! 

Ryuji: Why haven't we done this more often?

Ryuji: I guess we're just all busy lately?

Akira: Probably so.

Ryuji: Hey you guys. You seein' the news right now? 

Ryuji: Channel 3.

Haru: You watch the news, Ryuji?

Ann: You never struck me as the type to keep up with current events.

Ryuji: I dunno.

Ryuji: After all we did as the Phantom Thieves, and how we trusted care of the world to adults...

Ryuji: I started to really pay attention to how things are going, y'know?

Yusuke: How surprisingly worldly.

Ryuji: But anyway, look at what's on right now.

As suggested, I flip on the small TV in my room and check things out. I seem to have tuned in right in the middle of a report.

\---(Music End)---

"...who is a prominent social worker, has been accused of murdering her superior, just this morning. Police investigation is already underway, but one detail has been made clear through interviewing. Those related to the accused through work or business all claim she would never commit murder. Character witnesses have already stepped forth to testify this fact, but the police and prosecution seem confident that they have apprehended the right suspect."

\---Music: [ Suspicion ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxT2NKw9go)\---

Makoto: A murder?

Haru: How tragic...

Ryuji: Doesn't this sound familiar, though?

Ann: Uh?

Yusuke: What's so special about this case?

Ryuji: It's not the event itself, but a pattern.

Ryuji: A month and a half ago, a campaign manager killed the politician he was working to promote.

Ryuji: Three weeks ago, a foreign ambassador was killed by one of Japan's own diplomatic ambassadors. That one was all over the news!

Ryuji: And then a week ago, a business tycoon was killed by her most trusted subordinate.

Ryuji: Four days ago, another killing, with another politician, this time by their best friend.

Ryuji: And now this...

Akira: I think I see what you are getting at.

Ryuji: See I knew this guy would get it.

Ryuji: There have been a LOT of deaths lately, that have to do with important people getting killed by someone close to them.

Ryuji: Someone who wouldn't kill them normally.

Ryuji: Fishy, ain't it?

Morgana's jaw is on the floor by this point. "I'm shocked, really. I had no idea a knucklehead like Ryuji could have drawn connections like this. He really isn't as dumb as he used to be!"

Damn. Even after all these years it doesn't seem like Morgana's aggressive rivalry with Ryuji has simmered.

Akira: Morgana says... that he's impressed, Ryuji.

Ryuji: Nice! Even the cat gets it! Of course he'd get it, he's smart too. Sometimes.

Yusuke: Tell me, Ryuji. If there is a pattern here, what do you make of it?

Haru: There's betrayal involved in all of these scenarios, it seems like.

Ryuji: Yeah, that's right.

Makoto: I'm guessing what stood out to you was the thought that these accused people wouldn't kill their friends.

Ryuji: Uh, yeah, I think that's it.

Makoto: Ryuji, are you thinking back to the Metaverse, perhaps?

Ryuji: Well, uh. I wasn't sure.

Haru: This seems different from mental shutdowns.

Yusuke: That being said, the Metaverse no longer exists.

Ryuji: Awww, c'mon you guys. There's something bigger going on here, I just know it.

Ann: I know we all miss our days as Phantom Thieves, but we have to accept that it's over now...

Ryuji: Maybe you're right... I'm over thinking things.

Even if it was just intuition on Ryuji's part, I feel like he's on to something. It has the gears in my head turning, hmm...

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Middle 2004 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4CEqQO7Has)\---

Akira: Well hang on a minute.

Akira: We're convinced those things are not related to what we used to do because they haven't involved mental shutdowns.

Yusuke: I suppose so.

Makoto: Mental shutdowns... killing a person's inner shadow and causing them to lose all functionality as their blood leaks from their eyes and mouth...

Haru: Yeah... just remembering how disturbing those looked brings me shivers.

Makoto: Oh gosh! I'm so sorry! I was just thinking! I didn't mean to bring up the memory.

Haru: It's ok. I'm sure that my father found peace before he passed.

Akira: My bad for bringing it up. But, anyway.

Akira: It's not mental shutdowns, but what if it's changes of heart?

Ann: Huh? How could that work?

Akira: Well, let's assume somehow that Cognitive Psience is still being used, somehow.

Akira: I'm just devil's advocating here.

Akira: When we were Phantom Thieves, we discovered that by stealing someone's corrupted desires, we could reform a bad person into a good person.

Akira: But if you think about it, we only learned how to do that by experimenting with Morgana's idea to do so.

Akira: He was the one who suggested stealing the treasures from the cognitive palace could achieve such an outcome.

Akira: We weren't even sure it would work the first time we tried.

Akira: And when it did succeed, we never did any more experimenting because that method was all we needed to achieve our goals and correct criminals.

Akira: But the mind and the heart are incredibly complex.

Akira: What if we only figured out one specific thing that could be done to another person's cognition?

Akira: What if there were other methods and other results?

Yusuke: I hadn't considered that.

Haru: How interesting! That's perhaps plausible...

Makoto: You are suggesting that perhaps someone found a way to change someone other than just reforming their heart, yes?

Akira: What I'm considering is, maybe there is a way to alter someone's cognition to make them act in a way they wouldn't normally.

Akira: I'm just throwing ideas at a wall.

Makoto: Your theory is believable, but impossible without the Metaverse unfortunately.

Makoto: Being able to go into the minds of others and to alter their hearts from within is simply too supernatural to be done any other way than the Metaverse.

Ann: Yeah, we definitely destroyed the Metaverse. There shouldn't be any way to alter anyone's mind anymore.

"Yeah, not unless someone is out there mind controlling people by doing that old magician trick where you dangle a pocket watch by a chain and swing it back and forth," Morgana jokes.

Akira: You're probably right.

Ryuji: Guess my hunch was a bust, huh...

Futaba: What'd I miss??

Futaba: Hang on, I'm rereading all of this.

Futaba: Ok, wow, here are my thoughts.

Yusuke: That was fast reading.

Futaba: My mom discovered a whole lot about Cognitive Psience, and I don't think she would have ever reached the Metaverse.

Fubaba: Everything she researched she did in real life, with real means, and there wasn't anything supernatural about it.

Futaba: Not until we all got that crazy MetaNav app.

Futaba: Anyway.

Futaba: I wouldn't rule anything out. There's probably still millions of things we don't know about Cognitive Psience.

Ann: I guess, when you think about it, there's no telling how many hands that research has passed through, ever since her research was stolen. Shido probably wasn't the only one with access to the information she had compiled.

Haru: So, it's actually possible that someone out there could be altering people's minds to cause them to murder people?

Makoto: Hmm...

Makoto: But then the question becomes one of motive.

Makoto: All of the victims Ryuji described seemed to be of some kind of importance, be it social, economic, or political.

Yusuke: That certainly seems more deliberate than random acts of violence.

Makoto: To what ends would someone be murdering high profile, but otherwise unrelated, individuals? 

Akira: L;et'

Akira: s not gfet carrreied awayt

"Morgana, stop clawing at my phone," I laugh, "You can't text well with paws. Just tell me what you want to say."

Akira: Sorry, Morgana tried to jump into the conversation.

Akira: He says, "Let's not get carried away."

Akira: "I know know we're all itching to relive our Phantom Thieves days, but I need to be the mature voice of reason here."

Haru: Hehe, how adorable.

Akira: "Even if there is someone abusing Cognitive Psience, what could we even do about it?"

Akira: "The Metaverse is gone, and with it so is our ability to use Persona or our other abilities."

Futaba: That's... a good point.

Akira: "Basically, we have no means to do anything about it even if there is something sinister going on."

Yusuke: How dreadfully pessimistic.

"This sure is a different sounding stance than you had when we were talking a little bit ago, when you were super nostalgic for the Phantom Thieves," I point out.

"I know. I would love to go back to our old ways of fighting crime and helping people. But, we have to be realistic here," Morgana explains, with quite noticeable disappointment in his voice.

Heh. Even though Morgana can act like a kid at times, he really does have the capacity for mature thinking. "Either way, I have more to say, keep typing!"

Akira: "There's a bright side, though!"

Akira: "Remember what Makoto's sister said?"

Akira: "She told us that it's the adults' turns to stand up and do the right thing, and to leave things in her hands."

Akira: "And what did she do immediately after? Convict Shido for his crimes, AND get Akira's old criminal record cleared!"

Makoto: Sis... she's done so much for us.

Akira: "And she's sharp as a tack, too."

Akira: "Before she knew the truth about us, she was tracking and investigating the Phantom Thieves like a bloodhound, even when her superiors told her not to."

Akira: "Her intuition's much better than Ryuji's." Morgana said that, not me.

Ryuji: He's asking for it!!

Makoto: That's true. Sis has really been on top of things.

Makoto: Now that I think about it, I think she was even researching the case you mentioned earlier, with the politician from a few months back.

Akira: "We have allies we can depend on, is what I'm saying."

Akira: "Before we get carried away, let's just see how things play out."

\---(Music End)---

Futaba: We should shelve this talk for later.

Futaba: I have to get ready for school now.

Ann: Man, this chat has really stirred up old memories.

Ryuji: Tell me about it. I can practically imagine us sitting around a table at our old hideout.

Haru: I'm just delighted we were all able to talk once more. We should get together like this more often!

Makoto: Be sure and take your studies seriously, everyone.

"That wrapped up at a pretty good time," Morgana concludes, "You should probably get going to that interview now."

"Right you are," I agree, "Take care of the place for me while I'm gone."

"Sure thing, Joker!" he smiles, giving the closest thing to a salute that he can accomplish with his cat arms.

With that, I'm out the door and off to the train station.

_To be continued..._

\---(Music End)---

\---Music: [ Victory ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLWGyx4zoA)\---

_Would you like to save your game?_

_Yes No_


	2. Chapter 1-2: Invitation of a Crazed Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to a normal life after being a Phantom Thief was never an option for Akira, who has been haunted by his criminal record. Enrolling in college is certainly out of the question; Akira can't even get hired for regular work. And when things can't get any worse, news reaches that one of his friends has been injured and is going to trial for murder. By the next morning, he'll depart for Tokyo for his friend, but that night before, he'll visit a special room that he hasn't been to in many years... the Velvet Room.

_April 9th, 8:10 am_

_Manager's Office_

\---Music: [ Logic and Baroque ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG-WmelSueY)\---

The first ten minutes of this interview have comprised of me sitting in increasing discomfort as the hiring manager in front of me silently reads over my paperwork. So far neither of us have said anything other than basic greetings, and I wait patiently for the conversation to begin properly.

"Kurusu-san, you have quite the work history," the man laughs in the sort of way that conveys cautionary politeness, "You've worked more jobs as a young adult than most work as adults."

"That's right. I have experience in many different environments."

"Your grades are top notch, as well. To be the top of your class is a matter of no small importance," he compliments.

"Thank you," I smile and nod.

"I have to ask, however: Kurusu-san, did you not have further aspirations to continue your education?" he inquires, "Most people I see with your marks are eager to pursue a specific field."

"I had considered it, but I've yet to find an institution which would be a proper fit for me."

The interviewer has a personable humanness to him, but gives off the impression that he knows when to be stern, and won't be a pushover underneath his well-mannered personality. I can tell by the air of seriousness that flows into the room that we're going to begin touching on more personal issues. "Would that perhaps have anything to do with your record?"

There's no avoiding it. I was anticipating the interview to cover subjects like this, so I answer calmly and truthfully. "That's a possibility."

He seems almost disappointed. I get a strong sense that he is thinking that an applicant with a resume like mine would be perfect if not for the criminal record. "You seem to be a curious case, Kurusu-san. Though you had one incident expunged after being proven innocent, you seem to have accrued a number of other violations."

I sigh. "Yes."

"Unlawful entry, destruction of property, to name a few I see here," he lists, "Would you mind telling me about those circumstances?"

"That's a rather personal question," I deflect, "Forgive me for my rudeness."

His eyes return to the paperwork in front of him, which I assume are the public records listing my infractions. His eyes slowly widen a bit, and I assume he is looking at the dates of the crimes and considering the nature of the crimes. It shouldn't be too hard for anyone familiar with current events over the last few years to put two and two together and recognize who I am.

\---Music: [ Suspicion ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxT2NKw9go)\---

"Kurusu-san, are you perhaps the former leader of the 'Phantom Thieves?'" he asks with a bit of apprehension.

Given the group's reputation, this could go either way, really. I could be immediately turned down, or I could be viewed in even better standing. Despite being a technically criminal group, much of the public held high opinions of the Phantom Thieves and our vigilante justice. I can only hope the interviewer is part of the "Phandom."

"That's correct," I answer without hesitation. Now that he has figured out this much, there's no benefit to lying. "I apologize for not being direct on the matter."

"I... see," he acknowledges, stopping to adjust his glasses and shuffle his papers to align them neatly.

The tension in the room is almost crushing for a few moments, before the interviewer speaks again. "I can't say I expected to ever have someone like you applying for a position here. It's noteworthy that, despite your crimes, you did help to convict Masayoshi Shido."

I nod my head. "That's correct."

"Well... there's a lot to be said here, but I will keep things brief, Kurusu-san," he explains. "While I do respect your actions, I do have to remain skeptical of your employability."

Figures.

"Your criminal history as well as your character remain questionable. And from my position, I have to examine whether or not having such a rebellious spirit as an employee would be in our company's best interest. Please understand."

I nod, being careful not to wear my disappointment openly. I had a feeling this interview would end like the others have.

\---(Music End)---

_April 8th, 8:20 am_

_Alfresco Cafe_

I certainly look different in formal wear. I didn't want to overdress, so I skipped the full suit look. Instead, I've gone with a white, long-sleeve button-up shirt, and smooth black pants. On top of the shirt, I've got a black vest, and I have a tie around my neck. All-in-all, I seem to resemble the bartender look; fitting, considering I worked at a bar once.

Either way, I'd say I've got "dress to impress" covered, so I must seem perfectly in place sitting at one of the tables on the patio of this outdoor cafe. 

That's ironic, because I couldn't feel more like an outcast. 

\---Music: [ Interview Tragicomedy ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaQ4hhrXZI0)\---

Sure, getting a gig at a bar or a convenient store as a high schooler was one thing, but it feels much harder as an adult trying to get a real career.

It doesn't help that I still have crimes listed in public records. When I was younger, I had assault charges wrongfully pressed on me, and that effected everything. Schools wouldn't accept me, people looked at me with fear or disdain, et cetera. Makoto's sister Sae Niijima was able to clear my record, but it wasn't over for me yet. 

The catch was, in order to convict a man named Masayoshi Shido, I had to testify against him. That required coming public with everything I ever did as a Phantom Thief. And, you guessed it, that all ended up as part of a new criminal record.

The fun doesn't stop there. Juvenile assault charges were one thing, but the new accusations stuck much harder. Some of them were deserved. As a Phantom Thief I wasn't exactly lawful in every sense, that's true. But the situation was complicated, and I could have been held accountable for a lot of things I didn't do. Sae barely got me acquitted on murder charges, so I narrowly escaped getting labeled as a killer, if that gives you an idea at how many things they tried to press on me.

More than anything else, the biggest change in my life was my identity becoming public knowledge. "Akira Kurusu" isn't exactly a household name, so I have some degree of privacy left, but the moment anyone finds out that I was "The Phantom," suddenly I'm a high-profile former criminal. 

The Phantom Thieves were a phenomena that gained international attention. For the longest time, I'm positive I was being shadowed by government agents. I think they finally gave up and left me alone after realizing I'm just living a normal life from now on. It's true, things have mostly died down from two and a half years ago, but everything that happened still lingers over me, and to many people I still am The Phantom.

Not exactly easy to shake that image when trying to get hired at any respectable job.

And getting a higher education? Forget it. Shujin Academy barely accepted me, there's no way any college would.

\---(Music End)---

I eat my food silently in deep thought. At the very least, this cafe has a delicious menu, which is some consolation. 

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and check to see who is texting me.

Looks like it's Makoto.

Makoto: Are you able to talk now?

Akira: Yeah.

Akira: What's up?

Makoto: I know we haven't spoken a lot lately.

Makoto: And I apologize for not keeping in touch better...

Makoto: But, still, a lot about your current life is different than I expected.

Makoto: Are you really not going to school right now?

Ah. I can already feel the mood and see what she's getting at. She's always been studious, and back during my year in Shujin Academy, the two of us were the top of our respective classes when it came to grades and test results. Sometimes I felt like I did more studying than I did sleeping or eating... it's weird looking back to how hard I worked back then. Part of it was due to her, if I'm realistic. She was a great motivational coach, and always tried to help the group when it came to school work and exams.

Akira: I guess that comes as a shock to you.

Akira: I'm sorry for not being more open to you and the others.

Akira: There's a lot of transitioning going on right now, and I wasn't really steady enough to have a reason to tell you guys what has been going on with me.

Akira: Because even I don't know what's up, yet. Haven't gotten hired anywhere yet, so I'm still looking.

Makoto: It was kind of a shock to hear.

Makoto: I'm just... concerned, is all.

\---Music: [ Confession Secret ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ED7kzAmnAY)\---

Makoto: You were always such a go-getter, and you really inspired the team when it came to academics.

Makoto: How come you aren't pursuing that anymore?

Akira: Well.

Akira: I never did tell you guys about the repercussions of my testimony against Shido.

Akira: Anyone who glances through public record can easily find out that Akira Kurusu led the Phantom Thieves.

Makoto: What?!

Makoto: I thought those trials were behind closed doors!

Akira: Sae probably told you that so you wouldn't worry about me.

Akira: But yeah, the cat is out of the bag.

Akira: I don't think I could pursue education if I wanted to.

Akira: I barely expect to see any results from this job search, either. Just got rejected at the biggest company in my town because of my history.

Makoto: Akira...

Akira: It's ok. What's important is that none of your names got out. No one will ever know that any of you were related to the Phantom Thieves at all. 

Makoto: That isn't right.

Makoto: It hurts to see you take the fall for everything yourself.

Makoto: But! Even still, you shouldn't be out of options.

Makoto: Why didn't you ask for help?

Makoto: You're friends with Haru, and that politician Tora-san. And Sae! You have tons of influential people who could help you get your life back on track!

Akira: I haven't really thought it through, myself.

Akira: Maybe I'm too restless from everything we've been through to want to sit down in classrooms again.

Akira: Maybe I'm just taking a break.

Akira: I plan to work where I can to build up funds, and maybe see where things go from there.

Akira: But, honestly.

Akira: Something in my gut tells me school isn't where I need to be at this point in time.

Akira: I feel like my path is going to go somewhere different.

Akira: I just don't know where yet.

Akira: Please don't tell the others about any of this. I don't want them losing sleep over me and my problems.

Makoto: ...

Akira: Please don't be like that, Makoto.

Makoto: I'm not upset. I'm rather calm. In fact, I'm actually smiling right now.

Akira: ?

Makoto: It's been so long since we've seen each other in person.

Makoto: I had almost forgotten what it feels like to hear you open up.

Makoto: You really are remarkable.

Akira: In what sense?

Makoto: Just, the way you handle life.

Makoto: I suppose it's natural for a convict to be the type of personality to just roll with the punches.

Akira: Low blow.

Makoto: Just teasing :)

Akira: :U

Makoto: But... if your heart is telling you where to go, I'm sure you're going to end up the right place.

Makoto: Your heart has always lead you the right way before, hasn't it?

Akira: That it has.

Akira: But, enough about this "convict."

Akira: How is police training going?

Makoto: It's really tough! All of the physical training is giving me a run for my money, if only because it's on top of all the studying I'm doing so I don't just get stuck as a basic officer.

Akira: Ah, that's right. You want to move up in law enforcement to being more of a supervision type, don't you?

Makoto: Yes.

Makoto: One person can't help everyone, no matter how good their intentions are.

Makoto: I only wish I could have been there to help my dad, when he was an officer. Maybe he would still be here...

Akira: Don't be ridiculous. There's no way that was your fault, you were just a kid.

Makoto: ...I miss him. It really hurts to think about.

Akira: Turn that into motivation.

Akira: Stay determined to never see an officer die again.

Akira: That's exactly why you're trying to move up the ladder, to be able to prevent that, right?

Makoto: Yep.

Makoto: It was by teamwork under strong leadership that we overcame that drug lord, and every other trial we've faced.

Makoto: Someone needs to be making the tough decisions and calling the right shots, and I would like to be that person.

Makoto: And to that end I'm going to keep rising up in the ranks until I can make chief.

Akira: I know you can do it!👍

Akira: I've got your back every step of the way.

Makoto: The same to you.

Makoto: No matter what happens, I'll support any decisions you make 100%.

Akira: Thank you, Makoto.

Makoto: I've got some projects to work on now, but I promise we'll stay in touch a lot better from now on.

Akira: That's a good promise. Talk to you soon.

Turning off my phone, I realize I'm in a much better mood. 

For the rest of the day, I really just walk around town reflecting. I drift in to a few more establishments, pick up a few more applications. Nothing spectacular.

\---(Music End)---

_April 9th, 9:40 pm_

_Akira Kurusu's Apartment_

I tried to call it a night fairly early, and I did manage to nod off for about an hour or so, but I still feel restless. Something doesn't seem right.

I notice that my phone has been vibrating this entire time. This is probably what woke me up. It's not even that I'm being called, either. It seems that I'm getting text messages so fast that the vibration is nearly continuous. I rapidly open up my messages and see that my friend group chat is active again. There's already a good number of messages here, so I need to skim to catch up.

Makoto: Guys.

Makoto: I have really bad news.

Makoto: I just heard from my sister.

Makoto: There was a gun fight in the subways a little bit ago.

Makoto: Mishima-kun has been shot.

\---Music: [Tension (Persona 5)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrdMXoqp8Q4)\---

Oh my God. It's like I've been hit with a brick. Mishima? Shot? I feel light headed.

"Akira? What's going on?" Morgana asks in the middle of a yawn as he stretches.

Haru: Mishima...?

Yusuke: The overly enthusiastic fan of ours who runs that Phan-site.

Yusuke: How terrible!

Ryuji: No way...!! Who did this to him?! What happened!

Ann: This is awful... I had heard something had happened in the subways, but I didn't know what.

Ann: I feel sick just thinking about this.

Futaba: Gawd, this SUCKS. He's a pretty cool guy! A fellow denizen of the interwebs.

Futaba: Akira knew him pretty well. Where's Akira at?

Futaba: Akira? Helloooooo?

Ann: Is Mishima-kun going to be alright? What's his condition?

Makoto: He's unconscious at the hospital right now.

Makoto: He is expected to recover, but that isn't the biggest issue.

Makoto: Another person was shot and killed at the same time, and sis tells me they are trying to peg Mishima-kun as the murderer.

Ann: What??????

Ryuji: Eff that!! There's no way Mishima'd kill somebody!

Makoto: The trial is tomorrow morning. Sis thinks it's super fishy that things are being rushed so quickly, and how the news isn't covering it.

Haru: Surely your sister will take care of the trial, right? She is a defense attorney after all.

Makoto: She's busy with another case and can't defend him.

Yusuke: What a pitiable state of affairs.

Yusuke: He is incapacitated, yes? How will he be able to find a lawyer to help him, if not Sae?

Yusuke: Should we look for one ourselves?

Makoto: Apparently a famous lawyer from America happened to meet sis by chance and has offered to stand in Mishima-kun's defense.

Haru: How fortunate!

Ryuji: Is he any good? We can't just leave Mishima's fate in the hands of some random dude!

Makoto: If sis trusts him, I think we can too.

Futaba: Hmm... what's the lawyer's name?

Makoto: Phoenix Wright.

Futaba: And your sister already made contact with him?

Makoto: Yes.

Futaba: Did she get his phone number, by chance?

Makoto: I think so.

Futaba: Go ahead and send that to me. I'm going to do some research of my own on him.

Makoto: Hacking into someone's phone is, uh, still illegal, Futaba...

Futaba: Good thing nobody will find out ;)

Akira: I'm sorry I'm sorry I was asleep.

Ryuji: At 9:30? Ok, grandpa...

Akira: I'm coming back to Tokyo. I'm going to buy a train ticket now.

Akira: I'm going to be there as soon as I can.

Futaba: Whoaaa! Akira's coming back!!

Yusuke: It's lamentable our long awaited reunion must come under such dire circumstances.

Akira: I've got to be there for Mishima, he needs all the support he can get at a time like this.

Akira: Damn it all.

Ann: What's wrong?

Akira: I forgot I live in Nowheresville. The last train in or out of here was at 9 pm.

Akira: I can't make it tonight.

Futaba: :O!!!

Akira: It'll have to be first thing in the morning. What time is Mishima's trial?

Makoto: 8:00 am.

Akira: God. There's no way I can be there in time.

Haru: If it's tomorrow, that should be enough time for me to arrange for a company train to come to your station when it opens. 

Haru: That will help you beat the lines and guarantee you get here quickly.

Akira: Thanks Haru, you're the best!

Ann: I'm going to the hospital now. I'm going to tell Shiho about this as well and see if she can go too. Get some rest tonight, and know that we'll watch over him until you can get here.

Ryuji: You two are really close to Mishima, right?

Ann: He's been super supportive and just a great friend ever since he started trying to make amends with us for everything that happened in the past. He really is a genuinely good guy.

Ryuji: That's what I thought. I'll definitely repeat myself then, there's no way Mishima would kill anybody.

Yusuke: I guess there's not much for the rest of us to do except sleep on this, for the time being. How frustrating.

Akira: Seems like it. I just hope whoever that lawyer is can do a good job tomorrow.

Akira: The last thing I want is to show up in town and find out that he's already been ruled guilty.

Makoto: I'll do what I can to keep all of you informed.

Makoto: We'll talk tomorrow.

Ann: Alright.

Ryuji: K.

Haru: Goodnight everyone.

\---(Music End)---

"Whoa... this is terrible..." Morgana murmurs in disbelief. I can tell he wants to talk more, but he recognizes that I'm rapidly falling back asleep, and curls back up in a sleeping position himself. There's nothing either of us can do until the morning.

_April 9th, ??? pm_

_???_

As I dream, my thoughts almost cease, and I feel an overwhelming sensation not unlike a zen trance. I see myself in complete darkness.

Little by little, a location seems to form around me within my dream, and I can tell I'm within a room of some sort. My vision is foggy, or perhaps the environment itself is just skewed and hard to comprehend. How fitting for the world within a dream to feel so distorted and dream-like... as if the very place I am in doesn't exist, or cannot exist. I can't make out a shape or a form of the place I am in, but I can see a rich blue color overtake the floor and the surroundings. Yet, there is still a vast, black emptiness expanding out in every direction, as if the blue features of where I stand are but a small bubble surrounded by a starless space.

I see a man standing in front of me, with features and distinction much more recognizable than the translucent world around us. With his feet together, he stands with perfect posture, and holds his arms behind his back. He is lanky, and somewhat tall, and has a pointed nose. I recognize this man. I recognize the blue coloration around me. I even recognize the sound of the voice in my head as it sings a chilling, wordless elegy.

\---Music: [ The Poem of Everyone's Souls ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crQZy942LzU)\---

"Welcome, or should I say, welcome _back..._ " the man speaks. His voice is light and carries a hint of whimsy which feels somewhat unsuited to his appearance. It isn't the voice I'm used to hearing, as it wasn't the voice I heard so many times in the past. But I can still tell, without a doubt, that it is the voice of the true owner of this Room.

He coughs and laughs a single time under his breath. "Either way. Welcome, to the Velvet Room," Igor greets me. 

He takes one arm out from behind his back and pivots his body, extending that arm behind himself, giving me the full body gesture that he is inviting me to come forward. I comply, and to my surprise, Igor begins walking with me, side by side. As we walk, the atmosphere feels as uncertain and tempestuous as the surroundings.

"Normally you sit at a table, and your presence demands total respect and control, befitting of the master and host," I comment, "But with you joining me like this, it almost feels like you're a guest as well."

He chuckles, keeping even pace with my strides. "Perhaps you may be right. It's very fitting of your personality to make such an acute observation," he replies, "As you can tell by the unsightly state of affairs here, the Velvet Room is... unfinished, so to speak."

Surely enough, even as we continue walking, it feels as if we aren't going anywhere at all. The environment around us stays fixed and unmoving. It's as if the room surrounding us is linked to us, and follows us as we move on an endless walk through an otherwise endless void. "Unfinished?" I repeat for clarity.

He nods his head. "The Velvet Room is a place beyond time and space, a place deeply connected to the subconscious. Each time the Velvet Room has appeared, it has taken form dictated by the circumstance of heart of the guest invited into it. As you surely recall, your Velvet Room was a prison when you first entered it, and that Prison represented the constraint and powerlessness you felt locked into by the whims of fate."

With his pointer finger and thumb extended, he raises one of his gloved hands to his chin and holds it pensively. "That it has appeared again, yet not taken an identity, is quite extraordinary."

"What does that mean for the Velvet Room? What would cause it to appear without a form?" I question.

"That, my friend, I do not know," he answers with surprisingly humble honesty. "While there is no doubt that you are once again a guest within this room, perhaps it is not entirely tethered to you at the moment. This is purely speculation on my part, but some other outside force may be having an effect on this room."

Now there's a thought I would have never considered. I had always thought the Velvet Room to be so deeply locked within the subconscious as to be an completely unabated reflection of the soul, and that only a true change of character would ever alter it.

"I thought my journey had ended," I speak openly from my thoughts, "For what purpose could I have returned here for?"

"Yet again, you ask the sharp questions so desperately in need of answers," he replies, before chuckling yet again. "You are an interesting conversational partner. I doubt your original warden was on speaking terms with you quite as open as we are now."

The memories he unearths bring me a mild smile. "The two of you were certainly just as cryptic," I joke.

"As per the duty of the post, I suppose," he acknowledges with his usual smile, "A journey would foster no personal growth if I or anyone else were to provide all of the answers."

The fantastic nature of the Velvet Room, and the sense of narrative it evokes, certainly align with what he says. "Even still, I believe the questions you ask will be answered by fate in due time, as they usually are. For you see, massive events are unfolding even as we speak."

I immediately think about the texting convo my friends had earlier. "Is the Metaverse back? Is someone abusing Cognitive Psience again?"

He closes his eyes contemplatively. "The Metaverse that you know is likely long gone, as are the dangers it created. Mental shutdowns, for instance, are no longer a worry."

As he pauses for a moment, he opens but one of his eyes, as if winking with the other. "Still, a new phenomena is unraveling into reality. I can feel the existence of a new world of cognition, but fractured and incomplete compared to the Metaverse you knew."

I can already notice a similarity to our current environment. "Is that perhaps having an effect on the state of this room?"

"Probably so!" Igor claps his hands, "I would not feel even the slightest surprise if that were the case. Cognition, the heart, and the soul aren't too far separated from one another, after all."

"This all seems very strange. It's as if I'm learning about this room for the first time," I admit.

"This seems to be a natural response. Even I don't know why, for what purpose, or what deeper meaning may lay in the nature of these changes."

It's so bizarre, seeing Igor as an equal, and as equally effected as I am by these strange occurrences. 

"However, I am not entirely ignorant of what is transpiring around us," he grins with a chuckle, "And perhaps I may have some information which could be of use."

"Any information you can provide would be helpful and appreciated," I thank preemptively. "You're already being much more helpful than the other guy."

Igor laughs out loud, albeit softly. "Consider me to be the successor to the link you shared with the original Fool Arcana. Though not present conventionally, I did observe your journey. Whatever superficial bond you fostered with the impostor from before I shall certainly share, and I promise you a more earnest relationship than the last."

"Even still, you seem almost eager to assist me. It's just unexpected, is all," I explain.

He nods his head. "As a gracious host, it is my duty to lead a guest as their fate unravels. Their quest must be achieved through their own growth, and their own strength of will. For that to happen, I admit that my careful choice of words and cryptic riddles are usually deliberate. I'd even call it unprecedented for me to be so casual and open with a guest."

"However," he continues, leaning his head upward with sealed eyes, "There are two things you should know about me. The first is that I hate to be left in the dark. By the very nature of my being, I am to be an observer of the magnificent, grandiose events which surround the cherished guests of the Velvet Room. For there to be affairs and happenings unbeknownst to me, quite frankly, irritates me."

Even in irritation he never seems any less jovial than usual. "The second is that I am a proponent of fair treatment. Your first visit here had you tremendously disadvantaged by the world itself, and watching you surmount each and every obstacle was splendid. You overcame your fate fairly and justly. By the very essence of a journey, you met a well deserved conclusion. Yet here you are again, unexpectedly. These new events developing seem determined to once again thrust you in over you head into darkness, and in response I believe it fair to be a bit more helpful to you, if the opportunity arises."

Igor's smile feels warmer than usual. "Consider my extended cooperation to be one of the benefits for an alumni of the Velvet Room."

As we continue our stroll across infinity, I can start to recognize dimly visible shapes marking the sides of our path, scrolling past us as we walk by. I see... tools. The scent of freshly carved wood invades the air. The objects we pass gain more and more clarity the further we walk. I can see trees, houses... or the facsimiles of such, carved and created through handiwork. I see folded chairs, and papers strewn across the ground. Sandbags, attached to ropes, lay motionless on one side of our path, and slowly a single fixture becomes pervasive on the opposite side. Before I know it, the entire right side of the "room" is a deeply blue curtain stretching off into eternity in both directions.

"Ah," Igor speaks with brief amusement, "It seems I've been successful."

"What do you mean?"

"As we've walked and talked, I've been busy exerting my influence to the best of my ability, and in doing so have regained a measure of control over the Velvet Room--at least in part."

I'm certainly intrigued, and my expression invites him to explain more. "I was indeed correct in assuming that some strong influence is forcing change upon the Velvet Room. With my power as master of the room, I've discovered it possible to reclaim at least a small pocket of the Room, from which I can assure safety from whatever wild alterations happen outside of this area.

Another man appears, garbed in a blue which matches that of the Room itself. The man is dressed impressively and wears a hat, and his appearance gives off the impression of a bellboy. Igor seems to immediately recognize the man, and addresses him as such. "Theodore! What a pleasant surprise."

"Likewise, Master," he replies with a smile, "I was beginning to wonder what was going to happen to us! It's a relief to see you once more."

"And what is that you hold in your hand?" Igor asks politely.

Theodore hands his master a letter with the name "Igor" garnishing the envelope, and with an intricate wax seal. "I'm not sure. It was addressed to you, Master. I as well received a letter just like it, as did the others."

A thought pops into my head. "Is Lavenza here, too?"

"Undoubtedly," Igor confirms, "I have a feeling that the scope of faces you shall meet will be quite grand. Call it intuition."

Igor points his finger and, as if it were knife, cleanly slices a straight through the top of the envelop to open it. "Let's see what this is about, now."

_"Esteemed Patron,_

_It is with great pleasure and honor that I may invite you to a new spectacle. I promise to entertain one and all with the most grand performance in history, with the very World as its stage. To these ends, I wish to formally thank you for providing the seating and housing for this event. I do hope that the play is to your liking._

_Thank you, and enjoy the show,_

_The Director"_

"Hmm..." Theodore hums, looking over Igor's shoulder and reading the letter with him, and keeping pace with our walk. "It's unsigned, just like mine. Who could have possibly written this?"

What starts a single "heh," becomes a hearty "ha," and then quickly evolves into a fit of cackling from Igor. "How interesting! It seems that we ourselves have been challenged," he reasons.

"What... do you mean?" Theo asks.

"It is strictly impossible for anyone to have deliberately written this to us. There is no natural way to reach this room, outside of time and space, in such a manner... without my consent, at least. These invitations must be manifestations born from someone's subconscious. It seems I was correct in my assumptions: someone else is in control of the Velvet Room at large, even if they do not know it."

Theodore, and myself, are completely shocked. "H-How is that possible, Master?!"

"This is insane..." I gasp.

Igor folds the paper and carefully slides it back into its envelope. "It seems to be that someone has such a powerful charisma and conviction that even the Velvet Room is being effected by the reverberations of this person's actions. I do not believe these letters were deliberately written by anyone in particular, so much as they are manifestation of someone's will. Their confidence is so strong that they are daring anyone to stand in their way, including even we the inhabitants of this Room, and that challenge took shape in the form of these invitations."

Igor claps his hands for a solid few moments. "Marvelous, simply marvelous. At the very least, we will be entertained."

He then turns to look directly at me, making very serious eye contact, but still grinning eerily. "Allow me to make good on my promise to aid you with information. My discovers so far are thus: someone is in control of the Velvet Room, that much is certain. Through that reasoning, as well as the wording of the letter, we can assume this person is immensely powerful. If we invoke the familiar imagery of the Metaverse, then we could assume that, if this person were to have a palace, it would be the entire world--so great is their distortion and ambition. Through this distorted cognition, the entire world is a performance to be written and directed as they see fit. A play on the world stage, if you will."

"And yet there are more conclusions I can draw through this reasoning," Igor continues, "Chiefly, that this person likely has ties to the last Arcana that even you yourself weren't given the opportunity to fully master. The only Arcana powerful enough to warp the Velvet Room itself must certainly be that of The World. And with that power, they perhaps have the means and the will to reshape cognition, or even reality, itself."

I remember distinctly that Lavenza gifted me this Arcana right before I left Tokyo, so this is a big shock. "Do I not have control over that myself?"

"Perhaps not," Igor explains, "I will research these matters and return to you with a more thorough analysis in time."

"What would we even be able to do in the face of such an opponent?" I question with urgency backing my words, "Can I even use Persona without the Metaverse?"

"That, I do not know," Igor shakes his head, "In theory the power should still be in your heart, as you are one who has conquered himself. And, there is proof to be seen that you still carry your rebellious spirit. That you are here at all is proof enough."

Igor finally stops walking, and so do I. "If my assumptions are correct, this is a sign that a Trickster is once again the only one with the ability to stand up and face up against such a frightening and dangerous power. How about it, Trickster? Are you willing to sign one more contract?" he offers.

I'm more than ready to agree. 

"Excellent," Igor lightly celebrates, "Then the contract is sealed. It's truly remarkable to have a guest form a contract twice. I look forward to working with you."

He clears his throat and dusts off his hand as he moves to his next point of discussion. "As you know quite well, a Trickster alone is not enough. It is through bonds and alliances that you can unlock your true power, and stand up against this new threat."

I understand, and nod accordingly.

"But, I must return to my intuition from earlier. I believe you will meet many new faces. I even sense that there is one in particular who may share in the same burden and responsibility as you."

Now there's the biggest surprise yet. "Are you saying there's another Trickster?"

Igor smirks. "I'm uncertain, at the moment. Let us simply agree to not be surprised if the Velvet Room opens up to a guest other than yourself in the near future."

"Speaking of the Velvet Room..." I say, rolling back the conversation a bit, "Am I at the mercy of the one controlling it, like I was the last time?"

Igor shakes his head. "That is not entirely so. I am very much uninhibited this time, and you can surely count on my assistance. I've even established a foothold within this small corner of the Room, which will serve to resist the outside change, and house us safely as we form our strategy from hereon."

As a demonstration of his power and control, a table materializes in front of Igor, as does a chair behind him, at which he takes a seat.

Leaning his elbows against the table, Igor folds his hands together just under his chin, in his most iconic pose. "If this new opponent wishes a performance on the world stage, than we shall act from a place just beyond the stage... from henceforth, this pocket shall be called the 'Backstage,'" he christens. "Charming, isn't it?"

"Theodore, go fetch the others. There is much to discuss," Igor finally finishes.

"Right away, Master!" the assistant agrees.

"Go now, Trickster; awaken and return to your own world. We will meet again, that much I promise."

My vision glows brightly, and everything is slowly obscured and totally replaced with bright white light.

\---(Music End)---

_April 10th, 7:00 am_

_Akira Kurusu's Apartment_

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Core 2001 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zZHIDGghP8)\---

Morgana and I wake up at about the same time. "Well, let's get a move on," he exclaims with determination. In a matter of moments, I'm dressed and out the door with a backpack and a side bag full of my belongings. Morgana hops into the backpack comfortably, and we're out the door and towards the train station.

I text Haru to ask about the train ride she offered me.

Akira: Morning, Haru.

Haru: Oh, hello!

Akira: About what time will that company train arrive?

Haru: The earliest I could schedule was 7:45.

Haru: I'm sorry. You probably won't make it to Tokyo in time for the trial.

Akira: Damn.

Haru: But we will all be there supporting Mishima, I can promise you that.

Akira: You guys are the greatest friends, really.

Akira: I'll leave it up to you guys, then. I'll be in the city as soon as I can.

Haru: Understood! Safe travels, Akira.

Akira: Thanks again!

Well, this all fell apart rather quickly. But at least I'll be there for Mishima after the fact, regardless of the outcome. I can only pray this foreign lawyer is worth half the salt Sae is. I hope this Phoenix guy knows what he's doing.

_To be continued..._

\---(Music End)---

\---Music: [ Victory ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLWGyx4zoA)\---

_Would you like to save your game?_

_Yes No_


	3. Chapter 1-3: Following the Meta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to their original travel plans is going to be harder than expected for Phoenix and Maya. As stunningly awful events take place around the world, the pair seem to recognize that something nefarious may be going on. With a lack of direct way to investigate, they follow the one lead they do have, which happens to be one of Japan's most famous criminals. That person may be the only one who can teach the wayward travelers about the strange new world of Cognitive Psience.

_April 10th, 3:20 pm_

_Big Bang Burger, Shibuya_

\---Music: [ Maya Fey ~ Turnabout Sisters Theme 2002 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMw_dhNUmNQ)\---

"Look, Nick! I'm the Captain now!" Maya declares proudly, puffing out her chest to display the fancy badge she just won for completing the Big Bang Challenge. How she ate that massive burger, I'll never know...

"That was honestly one of the more impressive things I've seen in my life, I'll admit," I smile at her endearing antics.

Carefully holding both sides of the rocket-shaped badge with the edges of her fingertips, she adjusts the angle back and forth, probably enamored by the way the light in the room reflects off of it. "I think I'll give this to Pearly when we get back home, she loves shiny things."

Though I'm not one for fast food, I will admit that Big Bang Burger has really good slushies, which I finish the last of as I try to fight off a brain freeze. "Well, I'm glad you're having fun, Maya," I voice. 

"Yeah!" she agrees with pep, "Though I'm surprised at how quickly this trip changed from business to leisure."

"Haha. It is a vacation, we should enjoy it!" I encourage.

"Still," she changes subject, "I can't believe nobody at the Meiji Shrine had even heard of spirit channeling. There goes one of the main places I was expecting to find some results!"

"And none of the libraries had anything on the Kurain channeling technique... color me surprised," I add, "And we went to two absolutely gigantic ones."

"Not to mention Jinbocho! You'd think with an entire section of town dedicated to book stores, we'd find SOMETHING left behind by the Fey clan," Maya sighs.

"I guess Ami Fey kept to secrecy more than we thought," I reason.

Maya leans her cheek into her palm. "I had expected her to have left some kind of legacy in Japan, but so far nothing at all has turned up."

"Yeah... weird," I agree, "Have you ever considered cutting out the middle man and going directly to Khura'in?"

"I've thought about it... but nobody seems to really know much about that country. They seem pretty isolated from it all," she explains. "Plus, that seems like a big jump. Going from one little colony in the United States all the way back to the source. I feel like I'd lose a lot of the details and enrichment of the journey."

I shrug. I'm nowhere near as qualified to make judgment calls on this sort of thing. "Well. I suppose we can take a break from our search and find other things to do. I bet there are plenty of places to go for tourists like us."

"There's apparently a super fancy buffet at the Wilton Hotel nearby!" Maya spouts with enthusiastic energy.

"Maya, we just ate," I point out.

"I know. I'm just suggesting we make a note, for later," she smiles with content.

"How about that seaside park? Odaiba?" I suggest, "The big bridge there reminds me of London, maybe going there will bring back some neat memories."

"Well, while we're deciding where to go, why don't we walk around down town for a bit?" she compromises.

"Sounds good to me."

\---(Music End)---

_April 10th, 3:28 pm_

_Shibuya Central Street_

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Opening 2007 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1r3YTYj68)\---

This area is certainly bustling, and I can see why. Practically any kind of store or entertainment can be found just around the corner. A big movie theater, an arcade, plenty of restaurants and convenience stores... you name it.

"I can't believe they even have a maid cafe," Maya giggles, "We should have stopped in there."

"I think you and I both have had enough of maid cafes for the rest of this year, no offense," I jest.

Maya tugs at my sleeve to get my attention as she points. "Hey, a book store! Why don't we go in there to look?"

I shrug. "Sure, that's fine."

We enter the small shop, and Maya immediately starts scanning all of the books on the walls one by one. By this point, I don't even know what we are expecting to find, to be honest. I severely doubt that Ami Fey left a memoir laying around, and spirit channeling doesn't seem to be something that anyone around here is even aware of.

There's a TV in the corner of the room, playing the news. I listen in without necessarily meaning to, because the content being discussed catches my ears.

\---(Music End)---

It looks like it's one of those round table events with several newscasters all holding an open discussion. "And, despite the sudden death of Vi Aipi-san, the vote was still held."

Oh, they are talking about Vi Aipi. Now the broadcast has definitely gotten my attention.

"That would normally be rather strange, but it isn't surprising with the rate the motion has been moving at. Many politicians hold incredibly determined stances on the issue."

"Which makes it even more strange that the deciding vote was from Suingu Tsuzuru, who had been extremely vocal about rejecting the bill."

"That's right, isn't it. The tariff increase goes against everything on Tsuzuru-san's election platform. He was extremely opposed to increasing the taxation on foreign imports, claiming it to be counter productive to foreign relationships. That he voted opposite to his stance is basically career suicide. In some ways he hase essentially betrayed the voters who elected him."

Something about their discussion stands out to me. I think back to the trial from earlier this morning. This Alibaba person claims that Kaz Mizusawa was acting differently than he usually would. He (or she?) suggested that Kaz wasn't in the right state of mind, and even said something along the lines of his personality changing. Maybe because the event is fresh on my mind, hearing about a politician voting opposite of how they would have sounds very similar.

Ultimately, the thoughts pass. I still continue listening to the TV as Maya continues her search.

"You raise a good point. But whether or not his career fails seems irrelevant, now that the vote has passed. The repercussions will continue for years to come."

"If I'm understanding correctly, now that the movement has passed, the taxation will indeed increase. What exactly is the benefit to this decision?"

"Proponents of the new tariff laws claim that Japan as a whole has become a weak force in the global market. By strengthening domestic industry, many politicians are speculating that the economy will benefit, eventually strengthening our country."

"It's a peculiar thing, the vote was very close. It feels like the stars aligned for this to go into effect. The new laws would have been rejected had Tsuzuru-san voted against it like he had been very vocal about doing. Even with his surprise turn of face, the vote would have been a tie if Vi Aipi had been present, as he had advocated a rejection of the new tariffs as well."

"The death of a representative, along with a shocking change of heart of one of the voters... to call this turn of events unexpected would be an understatement. The representative who introduced the bill, Kigeki Yokubō, had this to say in response:"

Another clip plays, changing to a man in a white suit inside of some sort of congress type building. He has white hair that seems rather crazy, with wavy, curved spikes jetting out which make him look like the mad scientist type of cartoon character. He holds papers in his hand, presumably what he is reading his notes from as he addresses the other politicians in the room. The footage begins in the middle of a speech that has already started.

"... And though I recognize that complete agreement was not reached, I am still proud to be a part of this motion, which I believe will ultimately be for the benefit of us all. With this as a first step, I plan to continue working towards a more competitive, more self-sufficient state. I urge all of my peers to move into the future with an open mind as we see to it that these new policies come into being."

Back to the news room. "These are days of change indeed. We'll just have to wait and see just how the state of Japan will adapt in the near future."

"Nick!" Maya shouts, snapping me out of my trance, "I couldn't find anything on spirit channeling or spirit mediums. Let's just keep going."

That was... strange. I find myself having my attention more and more taken by the foreign politics going on right now. I suppose getting wrapped up in a murder trial of a politician right off the bat hasn't really helped on that front. 

Though I'm feeling vaguely unsettled, I lay the thoughts to rest without letting them impede our vacation. "Where to now?" I ask Maya.

She shrugs with a smile dispelling any care in the world. "Well, did we finally decide on a place to go next? Let's just get to walking towards the Subways and we'll probably decide by the time we get there."

_April 10th, 3:40 pm_

_Shibuya Station Square_

Even having lived in a huge city most of my life, the size and scale of Tokyo are still incredibly impressive. Being in a huge town square really showcases just how many hundreds of thousands are going about their business in the busy streets between all of the colossal buildings. It's strange to think that the events of the murder trial we had just been through went right through this area on the route we are traveling now. 

Without warning, a booming voice loud enough for the entire square to hear blasts from the largest buildings in the vicinity, each of which have gigantic television screens. 

\---Music: [ Borderline of Madness ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfpgVT-naD0)\---

"Breaking News!" a reporter shouts, "We bring you news of a terrible development directly from the neighboring nation of Koridai. At approximately 1:00 pm JST, Vice President Tyson Rant gunned down three of the most powerful officials of the Koridainian government, including President Richard Tator. The entire state is in chaos."

The square rumbles with the chatters and gossip of everyone who had heard the announcement, and we all watch intently as more details will be revealed.

"Rant was immediately subdued by military police as soon as the murder happened, and he did not survive the gun wounds inflicted on him during his capture. This leaves Koridai without either leader. Vice President Rant has consistently proven himself to be one of the most loyal patriots in the country's history, so assassinating the President is an alarming and frankly horrifying turn of events."

This is seriously uncanny. How many times in one day am I going to experience or hear about situations where someone acts completely different to commit a controversial--or even heinous--action?

\---Music: [ Tension ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrdMXoqp8Q4)\---

I hear a group of people talking nearby. They are dressed sharply in suits, and look to be of older age. "Do you think this has to do with the tariff vote?" one of them asks.

"God... that traitor Suingu, We would have rejected the new laws had he not turned face."

They seem to be politicians themselves. "Doesn't this assassination come at a suspicious time?" another one of them poses.

"It's seriously absurd for this to happen so close to the tariff vote."

"Excuse me," I say, trying to politely enter the conversation, "But what does that event have to do with this assassination?"

One of them answers me quite swiftly. "Koridai was really opposed to the matter. Their president was vocally speaking out about how much a tariff will stress trade relationships. Called it a breech of good faith even."

"And now that their president is gone, they are without leadership on top of the new trade struggles with Japan. Things are about to get really bad over there."

"With things how they are, I've even heard some Japanese military officials advocating going in to intervene."

"Now that's a shocking idea..." 

"You doing ok, Nick? You look troubled," Maya notices, pulling my attention away from the politicians. They seem to be walking away anyway.

I haven't showed anyone the phone alerts from Alibaba, and Maya wasn't watching the news story in the bookstore earlier. I suppose she hasn't gotten enough information to draw the same connections I have. I take a moment to explain my thoughts. "Maya, during the trial today, I got mysterious text messages from someone who claimed that Kaz Mizusawa was not in the right state of mind, and even suggested that his personality had been altered. He or she claimed that's why Kaz murdered his own client."

She listens carefully and I continue speaking. "And while you were in the bookstore, I was watching a news report. Apparently, a controversial vote just passed specifically because one of the representatives voted completely opposite of how he had promised to vote. And it's the very same vote that they just mentioned in that report, related to Koridai."

She seems to get the idea, and jumps in on my reasoning. "And now they are talking on the news about a ridiculously unexpected assassination... are you thinking all of this is related?"

"Well... I'm not sure. It's a _HUGE_ stretch, but... bizarre, contradictory actions seem to be a recurring event today. And the thing that person said about personalities changing just stands out to me..."

"Do you think this has to do with those 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts' that everyone was buzzing about a while back?" she suggests.

I kinda recall what she is talking about, but at the time I just thought that was the title of some new show from Global Studios or something. I never looked into the matter.

Maya must have noticed that she's lost me. "It was this shadow group of people who used some kind of super powers or something to change people's hearts," she explains with her head cocked to the side in thought, but something causes her to lose her zeal. "Though, I think they ended up catching the guy who lead the group. So they probably aren't relevant anymore."

"Still," I continue, at this point thinking aloud and talking to myself just as much as Maya, "With the amount of supernatural stuff I've seen in my life..."

"I wonder if those mysterious texts you got can even be trusted, though..." Maya asks, bringing the credibility of the entire scenario into question.

"That's a good point. I have no reason to believe them at face value," I reply, by now looking at my phone and skimming back over the log of messages from earlier.

"Yeah. All of these events could just be coincidental. You'd really be jumping the gun to assume a relationship between three completely separate events. Heck, this news announcement isn't even from the same country."

"Yeah... that would be kinda crazy for something to be happening on a global scale."

\---(Music End)---

She nods her head. "For real. Plus, you're connecting assassination with random texts from a stranger. Maybe before assuming there's some kind of supernatural illuminati, we should confirm whether you were just getting pranked or not," she points out.

I guess I really have been hopping to a lot of absurd conclusions, and the egg on my face proves it. "Well, there was part of the messages that was very specific," I mention, showing Maya my phone screen and pointing at the messages I'm referring to.

???: To do that, I need you to mention a specific trial from two years ago to prove with precedence that changing of personality can affect a situation. 

???: "Japan v. Masayoshi Shido."

"I've heard of Shido. He was on the news when we were riding the train the other day," Maya recalls with surprising clarity.

I think back to the report that was playing while we were on the train. "Masayoshi Shido... a politician who was the head of some conspiracy and the center of a huge scandal, if I recall."

Maya has already taken out her phone, and is browsing the internet for more information. "It says he won the 2016 election in December and became the Prime Minister, but almost immediately confessed to murders and turned himself in."

"Anything else noteworthy about him, or that trial?" I ask.

"Well... multiple news outlets are mentioning those Phantom Thieves we talked about earlier. Even highly credible news sites are claiming that the Phantom Thieves 'stole his heart,' which is what made him confess out of guilt."

"'Stole his heart?'" I repeat, encouraging more of an explanation.

"That's what they called it," Maya clarifies. "Like I said, the Phantom Thieves would allegedly force people to have changes of heart which would cause criminals to feel remorse for their actions."

"So... were they criminals too? Or more like Vigilantes?" I question.

"That's a good word for it, I think," Maya agrees, "They had just as many supporters as they did those opposed to their actions."

I feel like there's electricity running through my brain, almost as if I'm in full courtroom mode. I go back to thinking about the mysterious texts. "So... for this mysterious messenger to refer to this trial by name, almost two and a half years after the fact, while also speaking about personality change..."

With my mind moving a mile a minute, I consider another off the walls idea. "What if this Alibaba person who texted me is one of those Phantom Thieves?"

\---Music: [ Logic ~ The Way to the Truth ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22RQbSJ-SpY)\---

I hold my chin and begin to deeply consider what I already know. "Call me crazy, but I feel like a lot of this is starting to come together."

"Let's lay this all out, before we start confusing ourselves," Maya suggests.

"Alright. Well, we're looking at three separate concepts here," I begin explaining, "The first of which is all of the events I've seen today leaving me wondering if personalities are being changed. The second is what we know about Japan v. Masayoshi Shido, and how his personality was changed by vigilantes. The third thing we're considering is that I was texted by someone intimately aware of both of the first two things I just mentioned. This is where my intuition is telling me to draw a connection."

Now that we're on the same page, she's able to jump into the brainstorming. Maya and I are so attuned to each other that she's already putting her head together with mine. "So... Japan v. Masayoshi Shido involved Shido, a criminal, having his personality changed. The Phantom Thieves were likely responsible for this. They'd be directly related and knowledgeable about the entire circumstances surrounding personality changes, which are what we are thinking is happening here in the present."

I nod my head. "Hmm... do you think this means, that these Phantom Thieves have come back after all of these years, and are changing personalities again?"

"See, that doesn't line up with the tone that Alibaba had while communicating with you," Maya rebukes, "They were cautious about Mizusawa, and were warning you to be careful around him. That doesn't sound like what someone would do if they were behind his actions."

She's right about that. "And the brief bit Alibaba sent me after the trial was essentially a congratulations for catching him."

Maya seems entranced in thought, and suddenly she snaps her fingers. "Oh! Ok, here's an idea: maybe, someone ELSE is changing personalities recently, and this Alibaba person is following their actions and trying to investigate," she theorizes, before holding her hand out towards me. "Hey, can I see your phone for a second? I just realized, we could have texted Alibaba from the start to ask them directly! DUH! Why didn't I think of that sooner?"

Wow, that's... wow. Here we are with our heads smoking from over-thinking things when we could have just tried contacting the source of all of this. I hand her my phone and she goes right to my messages to pull up the conversation.

\---(Music End)---

She spends a few moments typing out a message, and taps the screen to send it. She taps the screen again, and once more after that. "Uh... it's not sending."

"Let me see," I request, and she delivers my phone back to me. Sure enough, the message she typed out just gives an error when I try to send it. "That's really strange."

"It's like the number doesn't exist. Maybe Alibaba used a disposable phone, or a fake number or something," Maya suggests

"Whatever the case, making himself unable to be contacted in return is a fairy cautionary thing to do," I figure, "So now we know that Alibaba is being very careful, and is probably savvy with technology if he knows tricks like that." 

Maya scratches her chin. "Well... so, we can't contact Alibaba, and there's no real way to investigate any further, huh?"

I continue looking at my phone screen. "There's still one lead left. Japan v. Masayoshi Shido... that's a route we can explore."

Maya is already on her own phone, looking up more information. "Well, the Shido guy is in custody right now. Visiting hours should still be going on. We might be able to go talk with him."

"I'm a little hesitant," I admit, "He is a murderer after all... who knows how a conversation with someone like that could go."

"Well, this can be a valuable experience," Maya begins to explain, "It depends on how he'll act when we speak with him. We can see first hand if his heart was really stolen, and his personality changed. In theory, even though he was a murderer, he should be pretty remorseful."

I'm seeing where she's coming from. "And if it is possible for that to happen, Shido may be the best person available to learn more about personality changes. Maybe he can clue us in on what happened a few years ago, and see if any of the events happening today are any similar."

Maya claps her hands decisively. "Well, sounds like we have our next move planned out. What do you say we get going?"

_April 10th, 4:13 pm_

_Suramā Prison Facility, Visiting Area_

I suppose no matter where you go, a detention center-styled place is always going to look pretty similar. This room is filled with the familiar sights of bulletproof glass separating us from a different room, cameras everywhere, and a dutiful guard watching their post. Though, this place seems a bit more high security than the detention centers I'm used to. 

"I feel like it's kind of crazy they had to do a background check on us before seeing this guy..." Maya grumbles.

"It's a necessary precaution in this specific situation," the guard standing at the side of the room explains, "You two should be fine as you are foreigners, but a lot of Shido's former cohorts have tried to see him here, and we stopped taking any chances."

"Is he... really still that dangerous?" I ask.

"We can't be sure. He seems to be pacified, but there's no telling what could happen," the guard responds uneasily.

Maya and I look at each other. I think we're on the right track here, going to meet Shido like this.

\---Music: [ Blood of Villain ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvhEYbzToK4)\---

On the other side of the glass, a door opens, and another guard leads a man in an orange prison uniform into the room. The man in the uniform is bald, he has indentations on the bridge of his nose from where glasses would have been worn, and his face is incredibly stern. Even his eyes look steely; he gives the impression of a no-nonsense type of guy. There's a chair facing the glass, which he pulls back to make room for himself to sit in it. He hunches his back forward in order to lean his elbows against his thighs, and clasps his hands together in front of his mouth. Even his posture seems confrontational, and a tad intimidating. However, it doesn't seem like he's staring us down, more like he's lost in thoughts miles away. He closes his eyes for a few moments and takes a deep breath.

\---(Music End)---

"Hello," he greets, in a voice much less deep than his appearance lead me to expect. In fact, his tone of voice sounds rather... meek. "Who might you be?"

\---Music: [ Cross-Examination ~ Moderato 2002 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ5eklOlrQE)\---

"My name is Maya Fey and this is Phoenix Wright," my partner answers, "We're in the legal field."

"Lawyers, eh?" he infers, "And how can I be of help to you?" he asks. His voice sounds earnest and his disposition seems almost submissive. I can tell from his inflection that he is more than willing to cooperate.

"Well, Shido-san..." I begin, "We've come here because details of your actions in the past have become pertinent to us. We're currently looking into a matter which may be supernatural, and perhaps you could be able to explain to us just what happened in the last few years, before you were arrested."

"What all did you do two years ago?" Maya takes over, initiating a barrage of inquiries, "How does a person's personality get changed? Why did the Phantom Thieves steal your heart? Why-"

"How about one question at a time, Maya?" I calmly interject.

Shido closes his eyes and chuckles a bit. "She's certainly an excitable one. I take it you are talking about Cognitive Psience."

Just by playing off each other's context clues, we already seem to be on the same page. "I've never heard of that before. Could you explain a little bit about what that is, exactly?"

Shido meditates, deeply contemplating the question. "I have to ask... why exactly do you want to learn about this?"

He seems prepared to skirt our questions if I'm not clear in my intentions. "Well, Shido-san, we're concerned by the possibility of unnatural events that may be happening right now. If we're correct in our thinking, we have reason to believe events from your past may have some form of relation to what we're investigating."

He continues processing his thoughts in inner deliberation, and it's quite a pause before he answers. Though, it's not so much an answer as it is him talking to himself, it sounds like. "Hmm... I suppose it could be possible to do with Cognitive Psience..."

"What are you talking about, Shido-san?" Maya questions.

His response seems to be a brief respite from a trance. "You said something about personalities changing. I take it that's what you are concerned about. As far as that goes, someone's heart being changed isn't unprecedented, but I've never seen personalities being changed in any other way... but I think that it could be hypothetically possible if one were to use Cognitive Psience..."

\---(Music End)---

His sudden shout catches me off guard. He snaps like a lightning bolt, jumping from his chair and slamming his hands against the window sill under the glass, leaning forward towards us and suddenly raising his voice to a shout. "What exactly is going on out there? Is there someone abusing cognition again?! Tell me everything!"

\---Music: [ Restlessness ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9LIt2xh_gU)\---

His alacrity is startling to say the least. Maya even scooted her chair back in reflex. "I'm not certain about anything right now, but on at least three separate occasions I've witnessed or heard about situations where otherwise trustworthy people have gone completely against their values, as if their personalities had been altered. It started with a bodyguard who murdered his own client, which I didn't think much about at first because it seemed like he had a reasonable motive. But an anonymous source contacted me, and if they are to be believed, the bodyguard could have very well not been in his own state of mind."

"And just a little while ago," Maya jumps in, "A vice president in some foreign country killed the president, it's all over the news!"

"What?? Who, and where?!" Shido begs for answers.

"Some place called Koridai," Maya elaborates, "And the vice president was one of the most loyal people there to the president. The world is completely shocked."

Shido's expression becomes blank, and he slowly sits back down, and recollects himself into his hunched, thinking posture once more.

"I know that it's crazy to link such a high profile event in a foreign country to such a small scale case as the bodyguard, but another event happened which got me thinking even more. A vote just passed on some kind of tariff laws because a politician voted completely opposite how he had promised to vote. And, get this... the other politician who was murdered by the bodyguard would have been a tie-breaking vote, as well."

I can tell Shido is listening carefully to every word I'm saying, so I press on. "So, that leads me to believe the bodyguard assassinating the politician had underlying political motives... so that's a potential direct connection between two events where someone's personality had hypothetically 'changed,'" I cautiously surmise. 

"That's... even still a rather large jump, going from a regular congressional vote to a foreign presidential assassination," Shido points out.

"I'd normally agree, but I heard something interesting after the fact. Koridai was tangentially involved with the circumstances surrounding the vote that I just mentioned. They were highly opposed to the new laws going into effect, even."

"... and just like that, suddenly three separate instances of bizarre personality changes all become linked..." Shido follows.

"Does any of this sound familiar to what you've experienced?" Maya asks, without getting an answer for a few moments of uncomfortable silence on both sides of the glass.

Shido finally speaks up. "It's astounding for you to have thought so much into something so vague. But, I must admit... this sounds like what I had done in the past. Based on what you told me, I believe it's completely possible that someone could be abusing Cognitive Psience in pursuit of some secret goal."

I bow politely. "Shido-san, will you tell us everything you know about this Cognitive Psience?"

He turns his head to the side with hesitation. "You could be getting into something well over your head here... you understand that, right? Especially if there's a criminal out there with ambitions strong enough to assassinate a foreign leader like that."

Maya answers even before I do. "We get into all kinds of dangerous situations all the time! Heck, not too long ago, I was kidnapped and held hostage!" she claims. What a strange statement to make with a smile on her face...

I contribute a reply of my own. "I... really don't want to ignore it if there is someone out there killing people. It doesn't sit right with me."

He takes our request into consideration, surely mulling over whether or not to help us. He opens his eyes and stares sharply. "If there truly is another conspiracy going on involving the cognitive world... I feel it my duty to do what I can to prevent more tragedies, like the ones I caused."

"The... cognitive world?" I repeat, confused.

He holds his eyes closed once more for a deep breath, before standing up straight and looking at me with determined resolve. "I'll tell you everything I know."

\---Music: [ Confess the Truth 2002 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6X4-v78-2U)\---

"There was a woman who dedicated her life to studying the effects of human cognition on our reality, as well as the effects on a reality that we didn't know about. Her name was Wakaba Isshiki, and through her hard work and brilliant mind, a new world was discovered. The world of cognition... what we came to call the 'Metaverse.' She didn't have a name for it at the time, but she saw hope within this world. The ability to help heal deep trauma, mental scarring... an unprecedented breakthrough for psychology."

Now that he's standing, he begins slowly pacing back and forth between the walls at his sides. "In another life I may have been able to call her a friend. But no, I was too ambitious. Too driven. Too greedy for power. Back then... I let nothing stand in my way in my pursuit of more influence. And what I saw in this Metaverse was unlimited potential."

"What exactly is the Metaverse?" Maya asks.

"It was alternate reality within our own minds, shaped by the inner thoughts and subconscious of ourselves. For those with incredibly strong desires, the Metaverse was extremely malleable. When one's world views and cognitions were distorted enough, the reality of the Metaverse would change to reflect how that person saw the world. Eventually, we came to call those locations 'palaces.' For example, I've been told that when my views were still distorted, I didn't see the Diet Building as just a building anymore. I saw it as my own personal ship, staying afloat while the rest of Tokyo and Japan sank hopelessly. In the Metaverse, I was told that became reality... and there physically existed a cruise ship floating atop a flooded Japan where my own shadow resided."

I'm trying my best to keep up, but I have plenty of questions. "Your shadow? What does that mean?"

"You can view them as a part of our true selves. A shadow is a manifestation of our subconscious which exists within the Metaverse. Whereas we humans choose to hide or ignore facets of ourselves that we don't like, a shadow will instead embrace them, and confidently at that. The whole concept is a Freudian mess, if you ask me... and the details aren't terribly important. What is important, however, is what I discovered: a shadow is intrinsically linked to the real person. To that end, if one could enter the cognitive world and kill a person's shadow... the real person can't withstand the trauma. Bleeding from the eyes and mouth while the pupils disappear and all mental function ceases, leading to effectively the death of that person... that's what we called a 'mental shutdown.' And it was a clean way to kill a target without leaving any tangible evidence. A perfect tool for assassinations."

"However," Shido continues, "The Phantom Thieves of Hearts somehow came to possess the ability to enter the Metaverse as well, and they discovered a different element of cognition: that shadows can be reasoned with, and that twisted desires can be stolen. I don't know how they managed it, but the Phantom Thieves actually entered the Metaverse and infiltrated that cruise ship in order to confront my shadow and change my heart."

"I had heard about that," Maya nods, "They had gained some ability to steal away the evil from within corrupted individuals, leading that person to have a change of heart."

"That's right," Shido confirms, "That heavy guilt and desire to repent are the closest things I've seen to what you've said about personality changes. I've never seen or heard of a way within the Metaverse to change a personality in any other way that that. It's what they eventually did to me."

Maya comes in at a new angle. "Do you know anything about the Phantom Thieves? Surely they know about how to access the Metaverse."

"They've long since disbanded. I only ever personally saw one of them... and he told me the Metaverse doesn't even exist anymore. I'm not sure how or why, and perhaps he was lying to me just in case I still had evil left in me. I robbed that young man, and so many others, of so much..."

\---Music: [ Regret ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGFZHBK2lTs)\---

"From the very beginning I was a monster... I killed Wakaba Isshiki. I stole her research and used it against her to cause her mind to shut down. To cover it up, I forged a suicide note and blamed the incident on Wakaba's daughter. My stomach is in knots thinking of how much pain I caused that poor girl."

Shido's eyes are becoming more and more red, and I can see moisture building up in them. "I never once stopped. Death after death, I continued destroying anyone who stood in the way of my ambitions. I let other influential individuals, who I carefully selected, know about the Metaverse. I used the Metaverse to both bribe and blackmail, and to murder indiscriminately. I stopped at nothing until gaining the most powerful seat in the nation, as the Prime Minister. For that foolish goal, I killed again and again... and I betrayed those who helped to get me there."

From the corner of my eyes I can see Maya with a serious look on her face. "Mr. Shido... please, tell us more about this Metaverse. I want to do whatever I can to help, but we don't know anything about this 'cognitive science' stuff, or even have a clue how someone could be using the Metaverse."

"I... don't know. The means I had to interact with the Metaverse was from another person. It was only through the actions of my son that I had any influence within the cognitive world. And now he's gone... I think I may have killed him too... I--I...I...

Shido raises his head up to the sky and yells as if in immense pain, causing both Maya and me to shiver in our seats. By the time he finishes, even the guards are concerned, and Shido is outright sobbing.

"Thank God above that those Phantom Thieves put an end to that despicable man I once was! I could live a thousand lifetimes of penance and it wouldn't be enough to atone for what I've done!"

He rubs his wrists against his eyes aggressively, struggling to keep up with the tears as more of them pour. "I'm scared... terrified thinking that someone else out there could be making the same mistakes I did. Committing the same evils I did..."

Shido drops down to his knees, bowing at us with such genuine force that his fists and his forehead grind against the ground. "Maya-san, Phoenix-san... I beg you. If there is anything you can do to put a stop to the abuse of Cognitive Psience..."

"Shido-san," I speak gravely, "I promise you that I'll do everything within my power to find out the truth about what's going on. But we need your help in learning more about this Cognitive Psience."

Shido has to overcome a fit of coughing and choking over his sobs before he can respond. "I think... you'd get the best results by going through Wakaba's research. Perhaps there's something in her research that I overlooked."

"Where is that research now...?" I question.

"I'm sure by now it's all scattered around throughout the network of associates I had built up. They probably fought like dogs over the scraps I had left behind. I can only pray that they all got their just deserts. I've implicated and testified against as many of them as I could..."

I suppose it wouldn't be that easy anyway. "Do you have any idea where even part of that research may have ended up?"

In one clean sweep, he wipes the tears from his face with a slide from his forearm. "The physical research papers are probably long gone by now. But I... had a bit of a contingency, in case this were to happen. I had all of the documents backed up onto a hard drive, which I entrusted to my son, Goro Akechi. I didn't trust him at the time, but I saw no harm in leaving a copy with him, especially since he was the only other one to already know the details of the Metaverse, and doing so in turn helped him to trust me. I... don't know his fate. But I would assume the data is still somewhere in his home."

Shido sighs. "I don't recall anything within that research specifically explaining a way to alter personality, however."

By now, Shido has raised himself from the ground enough to be in a kneeling position. "I do have one clue left, that may help you in some way. There was an item somehow connected to the research, but even I never made sense of how. It was a pearl, one that Isshiki-san kept in a ring box. I discretely donated it to a reputable museum to be held safely, just in case it ever became relevant. It should still be there at that museum now, under the care of the curator."

Maya's eyebrow is raised pretty high right now. "A pearl? What in the world could that have to do with any of this?"

"I never understood the mystery behind it, if it had been some sort of clue or piece of a puzzle," Shido admits, "I'll give you the addresses of the apartment and the museum."

"Well... solving mysteries is our specialty!" Maya reassures him.

I stand and bow politely. "Thank you for all of your help, Shido-san. We'll make good use of what you've told us."

"I pray for you success. And, please... stay safe. If you or anyone else were to be hurt because of me and the legacy I've left behind... I... I..."

"C'mon, Nick. Let's get going, before it gets too late," Maya tells me. 

The door closes behind us, and we begin walking as a guard leads us out of the facility. As the two of us walk through the hallway, we're left with the lingering echo of Masayoshi Shido's quiet sobs.

"So, what are you thinking, Nick?" Maya asks me with a nudge.

"Well... if Masayoshi Shido was truly an evil man who had his heart and personality changed, then the proof was right in front of us. And with everything he just told us... I believe that I was right to feel suspicious of the events happening right now."

"I guess we'll have to keep our eyes and ears on the news to see if any more strange happenings take place. Until then, let's learn everything we can about the Metaverse!"

"I'm with you on that one," I agree, "Let's go check out that hard drive and see if we can get that research."

\---(Music End)---

_April 10th, 6:30 pm_

_Goro Akechi's Apartment_

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Core 2002 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFy7msnqqX4)\---

As Maya and I stand outside of the front door of Goro Akechi's apartment, we are aided by Detective Ritsu, who we contacted a short while ago.

Maya bows to the detective. "Thank you again for getting the search warrant for us!"

He nods his head and tips his hat. "You were right to come to the police with your suspicions. I'm not sure I believe you quite yet, but..." he begins, before picking up excitement in his voice, "Ooooo, I can't help but feel enthusiastic about a good mystery. Plus, I get to see the home of Goro Akechi, the ace detective..."

He takes a deep breath. "Still, I have to insist we stay professional about this. I'm strictly only letting you in here because the drive Masayoshi Shido told you about may aid police in convicting Kaz Mizusawa. If your personality alteration theory holds water, that is."

I nod my head. I did indeed come to Detective Ritsu under the pretense of further investigating Mizusawa's actions. When the time comes, I plan to inform him of my thoughts on the other events happening recently. But, until I can find a way to prove that personality changes are happening on a multi-national scale, I plan to stay quiet on that, lest I sound absolutely crazy.

Ritsu unlocks the door and enters the apartment. Though the sun is setting, it's still bright enough outside for the windows to illuminate the room, so we don't need to flip on any lights. The interior is fairy studious. It reminds me of Edgeworth's office, almost. There's a tall bookshelf filled to the brim taking up an entire wall's space, even. However, the rest is modest. There seems to be bedroom in the back, a bathroom to the side, and not much else. It's rather dusty, too. Seems like no one has been in here for a long time.

"I doubt someone as smart as Akechi-kun would have left something as important as those research documents out in the open. He probably has the drive hidden somewhere clever," Ritsu points out.

"Looks like this is going to take some effort," Maya jokes.

The three of us spread out and begin looking in different rooms, with myself going to the bedroom. I open and close the drawers of a dresser in sequence, finding nothing unusual. There's nothing underneath the bed, either.

I shuffle through a few more things without much success, and eventually make my way to the closet. I pull a cord to turn on the light inside the small closet, and look around a bit. Just clothes, seemingly. I turn my head upwards, and what do you know, there's a key hanging from a hook above the door frame. Pretty sneaky hiding spot. This key could be important, so I hold on to it.

As I return to the main room, I see that Ritsu has gathered Maya and they are standing around the dining table in the main room, and he has planted a briefcase on the center. It's a dull silver color, and has a large "A." on it. "Check this out," Ritsu draws to our attention, "I found this by the wall over there. This is the briefcase he used to carry around all the time. This has gotta be where he'd keep something important. But, it's locked unfortunately."

I present the key I found to the detective. "Think this might help?"

"Good find, Mr. Wright!" Ritsu compliments me, "Let's try it out."

He slides the key in and turns it, and the briefcase opens up. Inside, all we find are school books and other papers.

"This looks like a dud," Maya groans.

"What about this sticky note?" I draw attention to.

Inside the case is a slip of paper with a foreign phrase written on it. "What does it say, Nick?"

I read the words on the paper, probably completely butchering the pronunciations. I think this is French, and I for sure don't speak French. "Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire,” is all it reads.

"Oh!" Ritsu explains with positivity, "I know this quote! It's from a Sherlock Holmes book!"

We both look at him with surprise. "What? I like detective novels..."

"What does the quote mean?" Maya prods.

"Something along the lines of 'a fool always finds a bigger fool to admire him,' if I recall. It's from the book 'A Study in Scarlet.'"

"Everything else in the briefcase was neatly organized, which makes this random note stand out. Perhaps this is a clue of some sort?" I deduce.

We put our heads together to think of what that means. Hopefully it isn't just some random memo to study for an exam or something. "Hey, I think I saw a book with that title on the shelf over there," Maya speaks up with excitement.

The three of us walk over to the shelf and scan it again to locate the book in question. "Found it!" Maya announces, pulling the famous mystery novel from the shelf. Behind it, it seems like there's a safe embedded into the wall. 

"Looks like we found something big!" Ritsu exclaims.

"What's the combination to open it, though..." I wonder.

"It... looks like it doesn't have a keypad for a combination," Ritsu notices, "It has a slot for some sort of key card, instead."

"Oh! So THAT'S what this was!" Maya shouts excitedly. She reveals a novelty bookmark with a design displaying the main antagonist of the first Avengers movie. "He was using this to hold a page in one of the school books in his briefcase, and I noticed it has one of those black credit card-like lines on it. I bet it'll fit!"

Sure enough, the bookmark slides into the slot perfectly, and the safe opens with a click. Between having a Loki bookmark and a briefcase with a giant A on it, I can't help but wonder if this Akechi guy is just a big Marvel fan. "Nice work, Miss Maya!" Ritsu praises.

We open the safe door all the way, and inside it we find a hard drive, as well as a picture of a young woman with a small boy standing next to her.

"Looks like we found what we came for, good job everyone," I congratulate.

"Let's get this back to the station. We can hook it up to my desktop there and start reading through this stuff," the detective suggests.

What a day this has been. A murder trial, a potential conspiracy, a former criminal changed completely, and mystery after mystery. For now, all we can do is get to the bottom of this research left behind by Miss Wakaba Isshiki. With any luck, we'll be able to glean some useful information from it, and be off to a good start on our quest to find out just what the heck is going on right now.

_ACT ONE END._

\---(Music End)---

\---Music: [ Jingle ~ That's All For Today ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f10LFrjzM30)\---

_Would you like to save your game?_

_Yes No_


End file.
